Clayton: Steelers split on matching

With roughly 48 hours left to make a decision, the Pittsburgh Steelers are "50-50" on whether or not to match the one year, $2.5 million offer sheet the Patriots extended to restricted free agent wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, ESPN.com senior NFL writer John Clayton reports. 

Clayton notes that the organization is torn between the appeal of keeping the player and acquiring the third-round pick from the Patriots, No. 91 overall. 

If the Steelers decline to match the offer, the Patriots will be left with just four selections leading into the upcoming draft. 

Sanders, 26, is the only restricted free agent to sign an offer sheet thus far this offseason. He finished 2012 with a career best 44 catches.

Red Sox-Rays game postponed

Friday night’s Red Sox-Rays game at Fenway Park has been postponed due to heavy rain predicted throughout the night. 

No makeup date has been announced. Tickets for Friday’s game will be good for admission to the rescheduled contest. 

Vasquez a MIP candidate

New Orleans Hornets starting point guard Greivis Vasquez is having a solid season and Ronald Tillery of The Commercial-Appeal believes he should be a candidate for the Most Improved Player award. 

When Granger, West may return

The Indiana Pacers were without David West and Danny Granger for Friday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks and both players might return sometime late next week. 

Ilyasova on the mend

Ersan Ilyasova has missed the last three games due to a left hip injury and he may return to the Milwaukee Bucks lineup on Sunday. 

choice for energy secretary has ties to oil,

WASHINGTON — "President Obama expressed great confidence when he nominated Ernest Moniz, an MIT professor, to be secretary of energy, saying the renowned physicist could balance scientific rigor with the demands of private industry and knows that “we can grow our economy while still taking care of our air, our water, and our environment.’’

But some critics question that assertion, contending that Moniz’s independence has been clouded by his deep professional and financial ties to the oil and gas industry — established during his work heading an MIT research effort that is funded primarily by those industries."

Blue Jays

"They will be picked by the majority of prognosticators to win the American League East, probably the AL, and probably the World Series.

On paper, the Blue Jays have the best team, with sluggers like Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, and J.P. Arencibia, speed in Jose Reyes and Emilio Bonifacio, and the intriguing Melky Cabrera."